Efficiently delivering expected performance from information technology
projects remains a critical challenge for many organizations. Improving our
understanding of how various factors influence project performance is therefore an
important research objective. This study proposes and tests a temporal model of information
technology project performance (TMPP). It shows that performance can be
better understood by separating risk factors into earlier (a priori) risk factors and later
(emergent) risk factors, and modeling the influence of the former on the latter. Project
performance, the dependent variable, is measured by considering both process (budget
and schedule) and product (outcome) components. The model includes interactions
between risk factors, project management practices, and project performance components.
The model is tested using partial least squares analysis with data from a survey
of 194 project managers. Our results indicate that the TMPP increases explanatory
power when compared with models that link risk factors directly to project performance.
The results show the importance for active risk management of recognizing,
planning for, and managing a priori and emergent risk factors. The finding of a strong
relationship between structural risk factors and subsequent volatility shows the need
for risk management practice to recognize the interaction of a priori and emergent risk
factors. The results confirm the importance of knowledge resources, organizational
support, and project management practices, and demonstrate the ways in which they
reinforce each other.